Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a system for monitoring operational parameters of a mixer grinder system for preparing a product such as ground meat.
Description of the Related Art
A data logging and parameter monitoring system of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be applicable to mixer grinder apparatuses used in the food processing industry.
As one example of an applicable mixer grinder, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,903 A to Holly, issued Dec. 22, 1970, which is hereby incorporated by reference in entirety. An applicable mixer grinder machine processes a product, which may include meat, vegetables, fruits, cheese, and sauces, for example.
In a conventional mixer grinder, such as that described in Holly, mixing is achieved by folding or tumbling the product in a tub by a set of rotating mixing blades. One example of the product is coarsely cut meat. The mixed meat is then passed directly to a grinder. In the bottom of the tub, there is located an exit opening through which the mixed meat passes. Positioned beneath the opening from the tub there is a meat receiving grinding chamber where a meat moving feed screw leading to a conventional grinding head is located.
In operation, mixing action by the rotating mixing blades and paddles urges the meat back and forth in the tub, which tumbles and folds the meat so that very thorough mixing is accomplished. Then, when mixing is sufficiently complete, grinding is commenced by initiating driving of the feed screw. The feed screw, which has a large pitch adjacent the exit opening and a progressively smaller pitch toward the grinding head, rapidly forces the mixed meat through the grinding head. The output is ground meat.
If a second (e.g., finer) grinding is desired, this ground meat is then returned to the tub and processed again. In this instance, mixing can be continued simultaneously with the grinding if desired. Alternatively, two of the above described mixer grinders can be connected in series such that the outlet from the grinding head of the first mixer grinder is fed directly into the tub of the second mixer grinder. An example of such a system is the “Gemini System” produced and sold by Hollymatic Corporation.
In conventional food processing operations, various operational parameters are of interest. However, to date, parameters such as temperature of the product entering and exiting the grinder have conventional been taken by hand, for example, by physically measuring a sample of the pre-mixed product and the processed product exiting the grinder with a thermometer, or have not been taken at all. A manual procedure is laborious, and measurement intervals may lack consistency. Furthermore, some parameters, such as amp draw of the machine and machine temperature during wash down have previously gone unrecorded.